An empirical evaluation of the determinants of tourist's hurricane evacuation decision making (original) (raw)
Related papers
Natural Hazards
Though most hurricane evacuation studies have focused on residents, tourists are also a vulnerable population. To assess their perceptions of risk and evacuation likelihood under different hurricane conditions, we surveyed 448 tourists visiting central Florida. Respondents viewed four maps emulating track forecast cones produced by the National Hurricane Center and text information featuring variations of storm intensity, coast of landfall, centerline position relative to the survey site, time until landfall, and event duration. We performed chi-square tests to determine which hurricane conditions, and aspects of tourists such as their demographics and previous hurricane experience, most likely influenced their ratings of risk and evacuation likelihood for respondents located on Pinellas County beaches or inland near Orlando, FL. Highly rated scenarios featured a Category 4 hurricane making landfall along the Gulf Coast with the centerline passing over the sampling site. Overall, tourists that indicated the highest risk and evacuation ratings were not previously affected by a hurricane, had a trip duration of less than 6 days, and had checked for the possibility of a hurricane strike before departure. However, results for other tourist attributes differed between tourists in coastal and inland locations. We found that although somewhat knowledgeable about hurricanes, tourists misinterpreted the track forecast cone and hurricane conditions, which led to a lower perception of risk and subsequent likelihood to evacuate. Tourists, particularly those from outside of Florida, need to be better educated about the risks they face from hurricanes that make landfall.
Gender, Residence, Past Experience and Communication in Tourist Hurricane Evacuation
2016
The paper discusses the role of gender, residence, and past experience with hurricanes in affecting tourists’ voluntary evacuation in the event of hurricanes. Specifically the study examines how the aforesaid variables influence perceived credibility of the information source and how such perception is translated into actual information search behaviors leading to a voluntary evacuation decision. The paper is guided by utility maximization under environmental risks and bounded rationality. The findings indicate that the aforesaid variables significantly influence the perception of the credibility of information sources and information search behaviors leading to voluntary evacuation decisions. Implications of the findings are also discussed.
Stated Preferences of Tourists for Evacuating in the Event of a Hurricane
2016
This study employed a Stated Preference Survey to examine factors that influence tourists’ decisions regarding whether or not to evacuate when a hurricane strikes. Data were gathered in June-July 2009, during the hurricane season. A total of 465 tourists in Florida participated in the study. The examination of the results found that evacuation decisions were influenced by the severity of hurricanes, the location of the destination, and individual characteristics of tourists. The study also found that Stated Preference Surveys can be an effective technique to examine tourists’ risk behavior while in the destination. Finally, application of the findings is presented. Key word: tourists, hurricanes, evacuation, Stated Preference Survey
An empirical evaluation of the determinants of tourist's
2014
Tourists are vulnerable in the event of a crisis. This article is focused on examining aspects of tourists that potentially influence whether or not they evacuate in the event of a hurricane. In general the results of this study suggest that individual characteristics (risk belief, connectedness, knowledge, and past experience with hurricanes), travel related variables and the socio-demographic characteristics of tourists influence their decision regarding whether or not to evacuate in the event of a hurricane, with tourists who are not local showing higher risk beliefs regarding hurricanes, with low connectedness and knowledge about hurricanes, without past experience with hurricane impacts, traveling with a larger party, traveling with children, traveling for the first time to the destination, traveling by plane and personal vehicle, older age groups, female, with an annual income more than $125,000 are more likely to evacuate. Managerial implications of the findings are discussed.
Cognitive and affective responses of Florida tourists after exposure to hurricane warning messages
2012
Tourists are particularly vulnerable to natural disasters such as hurricanes since they might be less informed and prepared than residents of disaster-prone areas. Thus, understanding how the traits of a tropical cyclone as well as specific characteristics of tourists influence affective and cognitive responses to a hurricane warning message is a critical component in disaster planning. Using scenarios that presented tropical cyclones with different relevant characteristics (such as category at landfall), tourists' knowledge, experience with hurricanes, trip traits, and the location of the survey (coastal or inland), this study contributes to the literature on sociological issues related to natural disasters. The findings suggest that risk perceptions and fear are influenced differently by the traits of the hurricanes and tourists' knowledge and experience. Risk is strongly influenced by the projected category of the hurricane at landfall, while fear is not as sensitive to this extremely relevant trait of cyclones. The results also suggest that the influence of risk and fear on evacuation likelihood is strong and positive. This study shows the value of studying cognitive and affective responses to uncertain events.
2000
The purpose of this paper is to assess the determinants of hurricane evacuation behavior of North Carolina coastal households during Hurricane Bonnie and a future hypothetical hurricane. We use data from a telephone survey of North Carolina coastal residents. Hypothetical questions are used to assess whether respondents will evacuate and where in the case of a future hurricane with varying intensities. We examine the social, economic, and risk factors that affect the decisions to evacuate and whether to go to a shelter or motel/hotel relative to other destinations. When making the evacuation decision households are more likely to go someplace safer during a hurricane when given evacuation orders. Objective and subjective risk factors also play an important role when making evacuation decisions. Social and economic factors are the primary determinants of the destination decision.
Who Evacuates When Hurricanes Approach? The Role of Risk, Information, and Location*
Social Science Quarterly, 2010
Objective. This article offers an expanded perspective on evacuation decision making during severe weather. In particular, this work focuses on uncovering determinants of individual evacuation decisions. Methods. We draw on a survey conducted in 2005 of residents in the eight-county Houston metropolitan area after Hurricane Rita made landfall on September 24, 2005. Results. We find that evacuation decisions are influenced by a heterogeneous set of parameters, including perceived risk from wind, influence of media and neighbors, and awareness of evacuation zone, that are often at variance with one of the primary measures of risk used by public officials to order or recommend an evacuation (i.e., storm surge). We further find that perceived risk and its influence on evacuation behavior is a local phenomenon more readily communicated by and among individuals who share the same geography, as is the case with residents living inside and outside official risk areas. Conclusions. Who evacuates and why is partially dependent on where one lives because perceptions of risk are not uniformly shared across the area threatened by an approaching hurricane and the same sources and content of information do not have the same effect on evacuation behavior. Hence, efforts to persuade residential populations about risk and when, where, and how to evacuate or shelter in place should originate in the neighborhood rather than emanating from blanket statements from the media or public officials. Our findings also raise important policy questions (included in the discussion section) that require further study and consideration by those responsible with organizing and implementing evacuation plans.
Travel risk perceptions, travel intentions and influencing factors: A natural disaster context
While studies of tourist risk perceptions and travel intentions have focused on terrorism, political instability, and outbreak diseases, limited studies have focused on natural disasters, despite the increased impact of disasters. Such events not only cause physical devastation to a tourist destination, but can affect future travel to the effected destination. Natural disasters can create risks for potential tourists which may influence their travel intentions. Thus understanding these risks and how they influence travel intentions is vital. To date, while abundant research is attempting to understand the effect of disasters on risk perceptions, and its subsequent impact on travel intention, questions remain unanswered. Conceptually research should be conducted using a bottom up approach to understand risk perceptions and the factors which can influence risk perceptions. Researchers agree that risk is a multidimensional construct that is context specific, thus more research is needed in the context of natural disasters rather than relying on studies that have explored other types of risks that may not be relevant. In addition, the domestic tourist as a market has been ignored in past studies, which tend to focus on international tourists. In order to address these gaps, this thesis develops a holistic understanding of risk perceptions and the factors that affect the travel intentions of domestic tourists in a destination vulnerable to natural disasters. Accordingly, there are three research objectives in this thesis. First, a bottom up approach is used to identify disaster specific risk dimensions. Second, to understand the relationships between the dimensions of travel risks, the factors that influence travel risk perception and travel intention. Third, to investigate how the dimensions of risk, and the factors that influence risk perception affect the travel intention of domestic tourists to destinations prone to natural disasters. Hence, a mixed method sequential method approach was applied. Initially 52 respondents completed a semi-structure interview. The results were then verified by 605 respondents in a mall intercept survey. The study area was West Sumatra, Indonesia which is one of the most disaster prone destinations in the world, yet it is also considered one of top ten domestic tourist destinations in Indonesia. The thematic analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and Partial least square-Structural equation modelling helped to untangle the complex interrelationships between the risk dimensions, travel intentions and influencing factors.
A B S T R A C T Population evacuation is an important component of emergency management planning for a variety of hazards, especially hurricanes and tropical storms that threaten coastal communities. This study examined previous evacuation decisions and evacuation intentions across 13 southeast Louisiana coastal parishes. Overall, the results indicate that most people will evacuate from strong storms, especially when ordered to do so. Future evacuation intentions correlated with previous evacuation decisions and corresponded to storm strength and official evacuation orders. Demographic factors had varying effects on behavior and intentions, with gender and race having the most consistent effects. The effects of income, education, homeownership, and housing type varied by storm strength and had different effects for intentions than previous behaviors. Previous flooding and wind damage had minimal effects on evacuation intentions. Risk perception, especially perception of the safety of one's own home, had strong effects on evacuation intentions. Qualitative results support the quantitative findings showing that people continue to rely on storm strength, especially Category or wind speed, as an indicator of risk and that persons who would not evacuate felt their homes were safe or had jobs that required them to report for duty. The results call for more research into how predictors of actual behaviors and intentions vary even while behaviors and intentions are correlated and how individuals determine that their house is safe.